She half-expected to find it locked, but the key was in the lock. She remembered then that Maria had been putting something away just before she climbed into bed.

Gretna opened the lid. The box was filled with papers, letters and what looked to Gretna like deeds.

Feeling that it was an impertinence to do so and yet conscious that the Prince was waiting, she lifted one or two of the top papers, hoping to find a piece of plain writing paper. It would not matter what was an address on it, she thought. She could cross that out. It was just that she must have something to write her message to the Prince on.

It was then she saw, lying in the centre of the box, a large thick piece of paper.

It was the size of a Certificate and only after she had looked at it for a second did she realise that quite unconsciously she had read it and realised what it meant.

Because she could not help herself, she read it again,

“We, the undersigned, do witness that George Augustus Frederick, Prince of Wales, was married unto Maria Fitzherbert, this 15th day of December 1785,

John Smythe

Henry Errington

George

Maria Fitzherbert.”

Gretna felt the tears suddenly come into her eyes. It was true then, true what she had always wanted to believe and what she had always known in her heart!

Maria was married to the Prince of Wales. It seemed impossible, incredible and yet she had always known that Maria would do nothing that was wrong or wicked.

Gretna thought now how often she had tried not to think of what went on at St. James’s Square when the guests had departed and when she herself had gone to bed.

She had tried not to notice the carriage with its drawn blinds that stood outside and not to hear soft footsteps on the stairs just before dawn.

Maria had asked for her trust and she had given it freely. She knew then that she must always fight against the encroaching knowledge, which she could not help acquiring, because she was a member of the household.

They were married! They were married!

She wanted to cry the words aloud, to take the Certificate in her hand, to rush outside the house and proclaim it to the whole world!

This would confound those who had sneered and insulted Maria, this would humiliate those who had drawn their skirts aside as if she was too vulgar for them to associate with.

They were married and the Marquis had said it was impossible. She felt the triumph and the wonder of it fill her whole mind and knew that a burden had fallen from her shoulders.

And then she remembered what the Marquis had said at Stade Hall that Parliament would not stand for it and the country would not tolerate it either.

By marrying Maria the Prince would forfeit his succession!